Explain LEDs to me...( CarolAnne...come to da Light!!!)

[garnerb350]

I want to have lights in my Mame cab...I've never messed with LEDs and I'm interested in having my pushbuttons light up....

My cab is one that i built from stratch and I have a Tankstick  for the cp.
I want to have the pushbuttons and trackball to light up...

What steps would a noob have to do....

I know that i would have to change out the pushbuttons and trackball for translucent ones...but other than that , I have no idea where to go from there....

[fatfingers]

Well, you'll have to run power to everything, of course.  I went with this for my trackball -- it's very nice and easy to use.

[1UP]

Super-Bright LEDs will illuminate normal buttons (except for the black ones) so you don't necessarily need translucent ones.  Just make sure your LEDS are either white or matched to the color of the buttons--blue light won't penetrate red buttons very well, etc.  White buttons work really well, and can be lit with any color LED.

[HaRuMaN]

For my current project, I'm using a bunch of RGB LED's and 4 LED-Wiz's to drive them all.  Hooked up player one of my panel last night, and man... it is pretty...   

[RandyT]

Super-Bright LEDs will illuminate normal buttons (except for the black ones) so you don't necessarily need translucent ones.  Just make sure your LEDS are either white or matched to the color of the buttons--blue light won't penetrate red buttons very well, etc.  White buttons work really well, and can be lit with any color LED.

I'm going to disagree here.  Standard "opaque" buttons will glow, but only in a very dark setting, and then not very brightly.  If you are looking for the effect you are likely seeing plastered around on web sites and YouTube, then you absolutely need to get some translucent buttons. 

What type you need and the type of controller depend on quantity, whether you want full RGB capability, etc...

RandyT

[1UP]

Super-Bright LEDs will illuminate normal buttons (except for the black ones) so you don't necessarily need translucent ones.  Just make sure your LEDS are either white or matched to the color of the buttons--blue light won't penetrate red buttons very well, etc.  White buttons work really well, and can be lit with any color LED.

I'm going to disagree here.  Standard "opaque" buttons will glow, but only in a very dark setting, and then not very brightly.  If you are looking for the effect you are likely seeing plastered around on web sites and YouTube, then you absolutely need to get some translucent buttons. 

What type you need and the type of controller depend on quantity, whether you want full RGB capability, etc...

RandyT

I have to disagree with your disagreement.    White "opaque" buttons will glow very brightly with just 1cd LEDs.  For other buttons, it's just a matter of the candela power of the LEDs chosen and the voltage of your supply.  You can easily find some at Fry's that will literally blind you if looked at directly.

[garnerb350]

As per say "lighting" i know....but if you wanted to have your cab to light up and look like E.T's spaceship...what do you do?

I know that I would have to have led running to the pushbuttons and trackball, but I would have to hook them up to something...( right?) I cant just hooked em all up to the 5v line on the pc?

for my cab I would like the lights to fade in and out when the cab is in standby and when playing they are lighted...

Like what is a Led-Wiz (GGG website)...What is its purpose?

Sorry if I am sounding confusing...

But if you wanted to have your MAME cab to have luminated lights to flash on and off, the whole kit-n-kaboodle...what would you do?
(what ya do Jack, What ya do?)

[HaRuMaN]

As per say "lighting" i know....but if you wanted to have your cab to light up and look like E.T's spaceship...what do you do?

I know that I would have to have led running to the pushbuttons and trackball, but I would have to hook them up to something...( right?) I cant just hooked em all up to the 5v line on the pc?

for my cab I would like the lights to fade in and out when the cab is in standby and when playing they are lighted...

Like what is a Led-Wiz (GGG website)...What is its purpose?

Sorry if I am sounding confusing...

But if you wanted to have your MAME cab to have luminated lights to flash on and off, the whole kit-n-kaboodle...what would you do?
(what ya do Jack, What ya do?)

For what you want, you need LED-Wiz's.  It controls the voltages to your LED's.  If you are using RGB LED's, you can create multiple colors (I think its like 210,000 dif combinations).  You can also use standard LED's with them, too.  arzoo's Ledblinky tool (works with LED-Wiz) will allow you to make custom animations, light which controls are active in a game, etc...

[1UP]

A lot of the frontends (Mala and Hyperspin to name a couple) now have an "attract mode" available that will work with the LEDwiz/PACdrive.  Lights blink according to presets or custom patterns while in standby, and light up the buttons to be used while playing.  Sound like what you're looking for?

[garnerb350]

Led-wiz....that what i need...
I'm running Hyperspin for the frontend...

So basiclly I need the lights, wire them to a Led-wiz and then wire the led-wiz to the PC-correct?

[RandyT]

I have to disagree with your disagreement.    White "opaque" buttons will glow very brightly with just 1cd LEDs.  For other buttons, it's just a matter of the candela power of the LEDs chosen and the voltage of your supply.  You can easily find some at Fry's that will literally blind you if looked at directly.

I think I'm going to have to see some side-by-sides using the "proper tool for job" and the normal buttons .  My experience tells me there is no comparison with "standard superbrights" installed.  Also, you can pretty much forget about getting the bezel to light with a standard button, only a spot on the plunger.

[1UP]

I think I'm going to have to see some side-by-sides using the "proper tool for job" and the normal buttons .  My experience tells me there is no comparison with "standard superbrights" installed.  Also, you can pretty much forget about getting the bezel to light with a standard button, only a spot on the plunger.

I'll put some up when I get back to work on my cabinet.  For sure it takes some powerful LEDs, but I just like the look of standard buttons with some color to them when unlit.  The clear buttons just aren't my style with the spring visible, and all white buttons on your panel can be a little boring.  Now if you had some colored Electric Ice, I'd reconsider...hint...hint...  But I've already got more standard PBs than I'll ever use, so I'm sticking with them.  Bezels don't need to light, but if the LED is at the bottom of the PB barrel, they will light the whole plunger pretty well IMO.

[Haterot]

As per say "lighting" i know....but if you wanted to have your cab to light up and look like E.T's spaceship...what do you do?

I know that I would have to have led running to the pushbuttons and trackball, but I would have to hook them up to something...( right?) I cant just hooked em all up to the 5v line on the pc?

for my cab I would like the lights to fade in and out when the cab is in standby and when playing they are lighted...

Like what is a Led-Wiz (GGG website)...What is its purpose?

Sorry if I am sounding confusing...

But if you wanted to have your MAME cab to have luminated lights to flash on and off, the whole kit-n-kaboodle...what would you do?
(what ya do Jack, What ya do?)

For what you want, you need LED-Wiz's.  It controls the voltages to your LED's.  If you are using RGB LED's, you can create multiple colors (I think its like 210,000 dif combinations).  You can also use standard LED's with them, too.  arzoo's Ledblinky tool (works with LED-Wiz) will allow you to make custom animations, light which controls are active in a game, etc...

Would this be the way to setup LEDs(mini LEDs?) for say your joysticks, have 4/8 light up depending on say using a U360 and what mode it is in??

[1UP]

Sounds like that would work.

[Bender]

This is the way to go (click here for all the details)

[RandyT]

I'll put some up when I get back to work on my cabinet.  For sure it takes some powerful LEDs, but I just like the look of standard buttons with some color to them when unlit.  The clear buttons just aren't my style with the spring visible, and all white buttons on your panel can be a little boring.  Now if you had some colored Electric Ice, I'd reconsider...hint...hint...  But I've already got more standard PBs than I'll ever use, so I'm sticking with them.  Bezels don't need to light, but if the LED is at the bottom of the PB barrel, they will light the whole plunger pretty well IMO.

I have some plans in the button department that I won't talk about just yet, but just for fun, I put a NovaGem LED assembly (equal to 5 regular "superbrights") into a standard white button.  The center of the plunger lit up pretty well, and there was lots of light pouring out around the edge of it (kind of like the photo Bender posted) but the outside edge of the plunger was dark, as was the bezel.  A regular LED would have been only 1/5 of that.  If one wants only "accent" lighting on their buttons, then this may be sufficient for them.  But if you want them be illuminated, it's not going to cut it.

As for the clear buttons and "seeing a spring", the diffusers we offer take care of that nicely.  And the EI buttons are only white when they aren't lit, and if you aren't lighting them, what's the point? 

RandyT

[garnerb350]

RandyT...

So if I wanted to have my cab to have lighted pushbuttons and trackball...what would i need ( from A-Z)?

[whammoed]

These pics are of a regular blue (not translucent) pushbutton from happs.  It is lit with a single wide angle blue led.
I did this a while ago, but I remember it looking pretty good.  I imagine the color of the button makes a difference in how well it lights.

[arzoo]

So if I wanted to have my cab to have lighted pushbuttons and trackball...what would i need ( from A-Z)?

There's no one single answer here - you've got lots of choices. For the buttons and trackball, both GGG and Ultimarc manufacture controls specifically designed to be lit up (and they include the LEDs). You can also go with translucent buttons and trackball and then add your own LEDs with mounting kits. Some do their own custom solutions - I just drilled holes into the bottom of my Happ trackball and inserted the LEDs. The same can be done with buttons. Search the site and you'll find tons of threads on the subject.

Next you'll need an LED controller such as the LEDWiz (from GGG) or the PACDrive (from Ultimarc). The LEDWiz is by far the most popular - it's the only device with the ability to set an intensity level for fade effects or multiple colors when using RGB LEDs (the PACDrive can only turn the ports on or off). The LEDWiz has 32 ports and you can use more than one if you need additional ports. Each port can be individual controlled via software.

Then there's your choice for the LEDs - single color or RGB? RGB LEDs allow you to vary the color - but they only work well with white or opaque buttons. The GGG Electric Ice controls are specifically designed for RGBs. Also, RGB LEDs require three ports each - so a single LEDWiz can control at most 10 RGBs (with 2 ports remaining).

Lastly, you'll need software to drive the hardware. Some frontends have dedicated LED plugins (MaLa, AtomicFE, Maximus, GameEx, others?). LEDBlinky is another option - it can work with most any FE and has native support for many (including HyperSpin).

Everybody has their own opinion on what looks best - so it's hard to get a consensus on this subject (LEDs). Many have posted pictures and details on their blinky/flashy control panels - so do some searches. And whatever your choices - get ready to put up $$ - lighting up your cp can get pricy!

[RandyT]

I imagine the color of the button makes a difference in how well it lights.

It does.  The standard button is acting as a filter with very high absorption properties.  Most of the light is either blocked or reflected, but some of the light, at a frequency which is compatible with the properties of the button color / material, is allowed to pass.  LEDs are very specific in their frequencies, so the color of the button must be very close to that frequency or the aforementioned issue will occur.

This is actually a problem with the green NovaGems.  These are based on the standard IL buttons, and the green is utterly incompatible with just about any LED out there.

In the photos one can also see the effect of room lighting.  As the ambient light is reduced, you can see the button lighting better.  One can expect the opposite effect as the ambient (room) lighting increases.

Thanks for the explanation, Arzoo.  All good info.

[SlayerAlex]

So if I wanted to have my cab to have lighted pushbuttons and trackball...what would i need ( from A-Z)?

There's no one single answer here - you've got lots of choices. For the buttons and trackball, both GGG and Ultimarc manufacture controls specifically designed to be lit up (and they include the LEDs). You can also go with translucent buttons and trackball and then add your own LEDs with mounting kits. Some do their own custom solutions - I just drilled holes into the bottom of my Happ trackball and inserted the LEDs. The same can be done with buttons. Search the site and you'll find tons of threads on the subject.

Next you'll need an LED controller such as the LEDWiz (from GGG) or the PACDrive (from Ultimarc). The LEDWiz is by far the most popular - it's the only device with the ability to set an intensity level for fade effects or multiple colors when using RGB LEDs (the PACDrive can only turn the ports on or off). The LEDWiz has 32 ports and you can use more than one if you need additional ports. Each port can be individual controlled via software.

Then there's your choice for the LEDs - single color or RGB? RGB LEDs allow you to vary the color - but they only work well with white or opaque buttons. The GGG Electric Ice controls are specifically designed for RGBs. Also, RGB LEDs require three ports each - so a single LEDWiz can control at most 10 RGBs (with 2 ports remaining).

Lastly, you'll need software to drive the hardware. Some frontends have dedicated LED plugins (MaLa, AtomicFE, Maximus, GameEx, others?). LEDBlinky is another option - it can work with most any FE and has native support for many (including HyperSpin).

Everybody has their own opinion on what looks best - so it's hard to get a consensus on this subject (LEDs). Many have posted pictures and details on their blinky/flashy control panels - so do some searches. And whatever your choices - get ready to put up $$ - lighting up your cp can get pricy!

thanks that really helps me alot. One more question though is where do i get the power from? I think i can get 5v with no external power from a pacdrive, but alot of lights will need 12 V power? like it says here

http://www.ultimarc.com/pacdrive.html

what is a comman 12v power source? is it like  box or something from radioshck that i plug in to an outlet or something? = /

[Franco B]

You only need a 12v source if you are powering 12v devices.

90% of the time people just use 5v LEDs so unless you are thinking of driving some other devices I shouldn't worry about it.

You may need to provide the LED Wiz (Pacdrive too?) with a 5v source if the LEDs you are running draw over the 500mA available from the USB line (I wouldn't go over 400mA just to be safe).

As you will be using the LED controller with a PC, your best source for 5v (or 12v if you need it) is to take power from one of the PC drives molex cables. You can buy a splitter and just hack that if you don't want to butcher your existing PC wiring. The red cables are 5v, the yellow is 12v and the blacks are ground.

Just FYI, if you want to output voltages other than 5v you will need a Pacdrive or GGG LED Wiz revision 2. Personally I would go for the LED Wiz, the revision 2 board has four banks of eight outputs that can each  be configured to output up to 50v (and 500mA per output).

I have eight LED Wiz's and one Pacdrive so that should tell you something (and I only bought the Pacdrive before the LED Wiz revision 2 came out).

[csaun9001]

I got my LED's going this weekend.  I have the electric Ice buttons from GGG, as well as the RGB LEd's and boards that fit into the button.  Using the LED Wiz as well.  I'll tell you what, totally worth the price.  The look is AMAZING!  I could not be happier!

Now if I could just get them configured the way I want...........in time, in time.

C-Note